1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to utility pockets and pouches of the type found on tool bags, backpacks, brief cases, soft sided coolers and similar items, and more specifically to such a pocket having a magnetic closure feature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Utility pockets are found on a wide variety of garments and work related apparel, as well as on such things as tool bags, backpacks, brief cases and soft sided coolers. Soft sided pockets were, in many instances, an improvement over the traditional hard sided tool boxes of the type used in the building trades. The traditional hard bodied tool box typically included either metal or hard plastic bodies that have a hinged top and a small removable tray that lifts out to reveal the inner confines of the box for bulk tool storage. Some of the prior art designs have small mounted drawers either in the top or the bottom for smaller tools or loose fasteners. Since these boxes are made of metal, hard plastic or rubber, they often do not conform to unique storage and use situations in real life trade applications.
In addition, most of such prior art designs of the type used for transporting tools and other building materials to a job site, were tedious and inefficient for a worker to use. They generally required a plumber, carpenter, or an electrician, to go back and forth from the tool box to pick up and drop off tools or building supplies or materials such as nails, screws, rivets, etc., while working on the job site. A more efficient way of accessing tools or building materials on the job site would be to load the tools or related items or supplies into an article worn on the body. Some workers have used aprons or vests with storage pockets, while others have utilized tool belts to accomplish these types of tasks.
Whether the item is one which is worn on the body such as a tool bag or pouch, or whether it is a backpack, brief case, soft sided cooler bag, or similar item, a need exists for an improved utility pocket for such items. In the case of a tool belt, the belt may have different receptacles and compartments for holding differently-shaped tools, building materials, supplies and accessories. One helpful accessory for such a tool belt is a pocket that serves as a small-parts organizer for objects such as nails, screws, bolts, fasteners, wires, nuts, and other objects that workers need in a large quantity of at the work site.
A need exists for such a utility pocket which is simple in design and economical to manufacture and which can easily be incorporated into existing tool bag designs, as well as into existing backpacks, brief cases, coolers, and similar items. In the example of a brief case, the pocket might be used to hold a cell phone, office accessories such as paper clips, stick-on note pads, etc. In the case of the backpack, the pocket might hold any number of camping, hiking or outdoor type accessory items, such as a compass, snack foods, a pen knife, matches, etc.
A need exists for such a utility pocket design, for any of the above noted end applications, which can be accessed with either the left or right hand and which features a magnetic closure to automatically bias the pocket opening to the closed position once the interior contents of the pocket have been accessed.
A need exists for such a design which presents an attractive appearance on a variety of different product lines whether for a consumer item such as a briefcase of backpack, or whether used on more of a utility item such as a tool bag or pouch.